Sportsmen: Meeting with state on gun control unproductive

The Delaware State Sportsmen's Association says while it met with members of the Governor's and Attorney General's staffs recently, there was no real dialogue on where gun control legislation in Delaware should be focused.

"It appeared as if we were being asked to more or less bless (Gov. Markell's package of gun control measures) rather than give any real input or an opportunity to make substantive suggestions. That was a disappointment," says association spokesman Tom Shellenberger.

Shellenberger says the state needs legislation that doesn't target law abiding citizens but holds tougher penalties for criminals who break gun laws and aren't overly concerned about the punishments in place currently.

"Gun control is one of the odd things that the less it works, the more they demand more of it rather than taking a look at the problem of having more laws that only law abiding people are going to follow and criminals aren't. That's what you have to do is come up with sanctions that mean something to the people who are violating the laws that we have," Shellenberger tells WDEL.